Press Releases

Parkhurst Dining Works with MEDRAD® on Sustainability Initiative to Reduce Dining Services Waste through Composting; Earth Day Celebration Encourages Employees to Compost Food and Service WareEarth Day Celebration Encourages Employees to Compost Food and Service Ware

WARRENDALE, Pa., April 18, 2011 –With a strong commitment to environmental stewardship, MEDRAD, INC. and its dining services partner, Parkhurst Dining will kick-off Earth Day one day early with a very special event on April 21, 2011, (11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.). The sustainability-focused celebration recognizes the completion of a major initiative where pre-and post-consumer food waste and biodegradable service ware throughout MEDRAD’s four facilities in the Pittsburgh area will work to become 100 percent compostable.

Service ware was replaced with eco-friendly products including utensils made from potato starch and sugar cane, clear cups made from corn, and plates and take-out food containers that are manufactured from various plant fibers. These plants grow more quickly than trees and break down in a composting facility in only a few months. Other products such as straws, soufflécups, soup containers, cold and hot beverage cups, and napkins are made with recycled materials such as paper and cardboard.

Drew Johnston, facilities program director at MEDRAD says that the initiative is bringing the company close to achieving its goal of 100 percent compostable facilities. “MEDRAD currently diverts over 80 percent of its Pittsburgh operation’s waste stream from landfills through our recycling programs. As we looked for ways to continue to reduce our land filled waste stream, we found that our biggest opportunity existed in our cafeterias that were consuming 81,800 takeout containers, 354,000 polystyrene cups and 76,000 polystyrene plates per year,”says Johnston. “Partnering with Parkhurst and AgRecycle to institute this composting program will enable MEDRAD to divert over 90 percent of our waste stream from landfills and reduce our use of non renewable resources.”

During the April 21 event, MEDRAD’s 1,300 Pittsburgh-based associates will have the opportunity to participate in compost station demonstrations led by members of the Parkhurst Dining team and AgRecycle, Pennsylvania’s largest source-separated composting operation. Dining staff will also be required to separate pre-consumer food waste including lettuce trimmings, bones from chicken used to prepare soup stocks, fruit rinds, and other food scraps in addition to metals and glass. AgRecycle will provide two weekly collection services to MEDRAD’s world headquarters in Warrendale and office locations in Indianola, Pittsburgh and Saxonburg.

According to Jamie Moore, director of sourcing and sustainability for Eat’n Park Hospitality Group (of which Parkhurst Dining is a member), says that biodegradable and compostable service ware is only environmentally beneficial when sent to a composting operation such as AgRecycle. “First, this will significantly reduce trash going to landfills. Secondly, once the waste is composted, MEDRAD plans to purchase the composted soil back from AgRecycle to use as a blended topsoil and fertilizer for the office gardens and landscaping,”says Moore.

As a special Earth Day incentive, MEDRAD associates who visit the company’s Pittsburgh-based facility cafés on April 21 will receive a reusable glass cup with complimentary beverages, further encouraging associates to “reuse”and reduce.

About Parkhurst Dining Services:

A member of Eat'n Park Hospitality Group, Parkhurst Dining Services provides exceptional culinary experiences and dining services to guests at the finest educational institutions, corporations and cultural destinations in its marketing region. Our foundation is built on personal relationships and exceeding the expectations of our guests and associates every day. Join us for a farm-fresh and sustainable dining experience. www.parkhurstdining.com

About MEDRAD, INC.:

MEDRAD, INC. develops, markets and services medical devices used to diagnose and treat disease. Its product offerings include fluid injection systems for radiology and cardiology, endovascular devices for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, magnetic resonance-compatible accessories and equipment services. MEDRAD is a two-time recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the top honor a U.S. company can receive for quality and business excellence (2003 and 2010). The company’s world headquarters is near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States. MEDRAD is a business of Bayer HealthCare.

Parkhurst Dining Works with MEDRAD® on Sustainability Initiative to Reduce Dining Services Waste through Composting; Earth Day Celebration Encourages Employees to Compost Food and Service WareEarth Day Celebration Encourages Employees to Compost Food and Service Ware

WARRENDALE, Pa., April 18, 2011 –With a strong commitment to environmental stewardship, MEDRAD, INC. and its dining services partner, Parkhurst Dining will kick-off Earth Day one day early with a very special event on April 21, 2011, (11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.). The sustainability-focused celebration recognizes the completion of a major initiative where pre-and post-consumer food waste and biodegradable service ware throughout MEDRAD’s four facilities in the Pittsburgh area will work to become 100 percent compostable.

Service ware was replaced with eco-friendly products including utensils made from potato starch and sugar cane, clear cups made from corn, and plates and take-out food containers that are manufactured from various plant fibers. These plants grow more quickly than trees and break down in a composting facility in only a few months. Other products such as straws, soufflécups, soup containers, cold and hot beverage cups, and napkins are made with recycled materials such as paper and cardboard.

Drew Johnston, facilities program director at MEDRAD says that the initiative is bringing the company close to achieving its goal of 100 percent compostable facilities. “MEDRAD currently diverts over 80 percent of its Pittsburgh operation’s waste stream from landfills through our recycling programs. As we looked for ways to continue to reduce our land filled waste stream, we found that our biggest opportunity existed in our cafeterias that were consuming 81,800 takeout containers, 354,000 polystyrene cups and 76,000 polystyrene plates per year,”says Johnston. “Partnering with Parkhurst and AgRecycle to institute this composting program will enable MEDRAD to divert over 90 percent of our waste stream from landfills and reduce our use of non renewable resources.”

During the April 21 event, MEDRAD’s 1,300 Pittsburgh-based associates will have the opportunity to participate in compost station demonstrations led by members of the Parkhurst Dining team and AgRecycle, Pennsylvania’s largest source-separated composting operation. Dining staff will also be required to separate pre-consumer food waste including lettuce trimmings, bones from chicken used to prepare soup stocks, fruit rinds, and other food scraps in addition to metals and glass. AgRecycle will provide two weekly collection services to MEDRAD’s world headquarters in Warrendale and office locations in Indianola, Pittsburgh and Saxonburg.

According to Jamie Moore, director of sourcing and sustainability for Eat’n Park Hospitality Group (of which Parkhurst Dining is a member), says that biodegradable and compostable service ware is only environmentally beneficial when sent to a composting operation such as AgRecycle. “First, this will significantly reduce trash going to landfills. Secondly, once the waste is composted, MEDRAD plans to purchase the composted soil back from AgRecycle to use as a blended topsoil and fertilizer for the office gardens and landscaping,”says Moore.

As a special Earth Day incentive, MEDRAD associates who visit the company’s Pittsburgh-based facility cafés on April 21 will receive a reusable glass cup with complimentary beverages, further encouraging associates to “reuse”and reduce.

About Parkhurst Dining Services:

A member of Eat'n Park Hospitality Group, Parkhurst Dining Services provides exceptional culinary experiences and dining services to guests at the finest educational institutions, corporations and cultural destinations in its marketing region. Our foundation is built on personal relationships and exceeding the expectations of our guests and associates every day. Join us for a farm-fresh and sustainable dining experience. www.parkhurstdining.com

About MEDRAD, INC.:

MEDRAD, INC. develops, markets and services medical devices used to diagnose and treat disease. Its product offerings include fluid injection systems for radiology and cardiology, endovascular devices for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, magnetic resonance-compatible accessories and equipment services. MEDRAD is a two-time recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the top honor a U.S. company can receive for quality and business excellence (2003 and 2010). The company’s world headquarters is near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States. MEDRAD is a business of Bayer HealthCare.